Trustees

Joe Collins
I came to The People’s Kitchen as a result of knowing Alison Kay in the early seventies, when along with other, helped to found ‘The Cyrenians’ in Newcastle.

I have been associated with the Kitchen since the late eighties, when it was a ‘on evening affair’ on the Quayside. In 1995, I was appointed ‘Chair’, and since then have had the pleasure of seeing the organisation develop from one evening to a rented building in Blenheim Street open three evening a week, to our own property with activities covering seven days a week throughout the year.

In its own way, this is unique achievement, because everyone who helps, (Trustees, key-holders, volunteers and workers), gives their time and help, regularly and generously.

Besides the overt help at The Alison Centre, we have hundreds of friends in businesses, schools, churches, organisations and individuals who provide us with all the things we need to keep going.

After the army, I went to Teacher Training College at Hopwood Hall, in Manchester. My first post was in The Teams in Gateshead where I taught science, Eventually, I became a primary headteacher, first at Low Westwood and then in South Shields.

I am especially proud of being one of the team to have had the vision and confidence to buy our present property in Bath Lane. Believe me, it was a pure act of faith and hope in the future.

Patrons

The Right Revd. Martin Wharton - Bishop of Newcastle

Trustees

There are several trustees who meet bi-monthly to review and plan the future programme, these are listed below.

Bob Eldridge - Chair

David Hobbs - Co. Secretary

Tony Frost - Treasurer

Derek Hogg - Operations

Carol Thomson - Welfare

Maureen Hogg - Communications

Advisor to the Trustees

Marilyn Champion - Administration

Chaplain

Rev. Pamela Ingham

Kitchen Council

Derek Hogg
Carol Thomson
Morag Barlow
Russell Gadbury
Beryl Wood
Rev. Pamela Ingham
Stephen Rowarth
Stephen Johns
Sue Cresswell
Muriel McKenna
Terry Edmunds
Warwick Milne
Teresa Turnbull
Marion Bayfield
Joe Collins